5 comments about The Matrix - Limited Edition Collector's Set.

1. The Matrix is a great movie. I ordered it and it arrived in good time and in good condition. I am happy with the service.



2. The Matrix is a many-layered shoot-em-up pure fantasy for adults. The post-Ragnarök grimness is balanced by the optimism of the Bodhisattva, Neo. Ten years after this film was made, the technology portrayed is still current, the story is still compelling, it is worth the effort. Take the red pill.



3. I can't believe that it's been 9 years since this movie's release. I remember my date and I talking about this movie for hours afterwards. The whole concept was so fresh and imaginative...and deep. I think the greatest crime was for the powers that be to turn the film into a trilogy. I saw the second movie and never saw the third. That's how much they ruined it for me. Keanu, an extremely lucky and untalented actor, turned up gold with this script. The art direction and graphics still manages to impress and even after all this time, the action and suspense of this film is still razor blade sharp. Excellent filmmaking.



4. God, this movie SUCKED! Stupid story, bad acting (hey it's got Kenau in it--'nuff said), and it moves VERY slow. Just a boring movie with great special effects. Overrated drek. Avoid at all costs, unless you have a problem with insomnia, and this will definately cure it.
   
   Oh by the way, I did get it before anyone asks. Just because I didn't like this movie, that does NOT mean that I did not get it.



5. WARNING: This review contains spoilers! DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN THE FILM!
   
   Every once in a great while a film comes along that changes everything and revolutionizes the way films are made. It happened with Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, Steven Spielberg's Jaws, and George Lucas' Star Wars... now we are given Andy and Larry Wachowski's The Matrix. The Matrix not only has a cool, cyberpunk, hyper stylized look and jaw-dropping special effects, it also features an intelligent story that is often overlooked by the mindless action junkies. The story unfolds at a feverish pace while we, the viewers, are given the thrill ride of a lifetime.
   
   Thomas Anderson worked a menial desk job at a major software company. In his spare time he leads a double life as Neo, a computer hacker, and it is as Neo that he gained the attention of some very strange people. One night, after falling asleep in front of his computer, Neo wakes up to find a message flashing on the monitor. "Wake up, Neo... The Matrix has you... Follow the white rabbit. Knock, knock." Not two seconds after reading this message, the door knocks. It's only one of Neo's friends stopping by to pick up a disc, or is it? Neo notices that his friend's girlfriend has a tattoo of a white rabbit on her shoulder, so naturally when he's invited to go to a rave he agrees out of curiosity. Once there, Neo is overwhelmed by the blaring rock music, the flashing strobe lights, and he's just considering leaving when a beautiful woman dressed in a slinky black outfit approaches him. She introduces herself as Trinity, a name that Neo is already familiar with. She's an expert hacker and an ally to Morpheus, a mysterious man that the authorities are after. Trinity tells Neo that he's in danger, that she understands him and his growing feeling of disenchantment, that she can help him, and that Morpheus can answer the question that's been eating away at his subconscious: What is the matrix?
   The next morning Neo wakes up and realizes that he's late for work. When he arrives there his boss lectures him saying, "You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously, you are mistaken." After his reprimand his day only gets worse. He receives a FedEx package containing a cellular phone, which immediately begins to ring. When he answers it he hears, for the first time, the voice of Morpheus. "I don't know if you're ready to see what I want to show you, but unfortunately you and I have run out of time. They're coming for you and I don't know what they're going to do." Over the phone Morpheus gives Neo instructions to on how to escape the building without being seen, but Neo fails to follow these instructions. He's taken into the custody of several strange agents, who interrogate him and plant him with a "bug".
   Neo wakes up the next day believing that all the events of the previous day had been a dream, until he gets a phone call from Morpheus who cryptically tells Neo that he is "The One". They agree to meet at a safe location. When Trinity picks up Neo, she asks him to lift his shirt because she thinks he may be "bugged". Trinity reveals a large, awkward, high tech contraption that she uses to locate and remove the "bug". She then takes Neo to an old deserted building where he finally meets Morpheus face to face. Morpheus asks Neo if he wants to know the truth about the Matrix. He explains that no one can be told what the Matrix is, that they have to see it for themselves. Morpheus produces two pills and then offers Neo a choice: Take the blue pill and his life will return to normal, but if he takes the red pill Morpheus will reveal to him the mystery of the Matrix. Neo, with a little hesitation, takes the red pill and his world begins to dissolve, literally. The next thing he knows is that he's naked, covered with cords and wires that are plugged into his body, and that the vat of amniotic fluid he's been sleeping in is suddenly drained away, pulling him down through a series of tunnels and depositing him in a lake of waste. A large airship comes to his rescue and removes him from the grimy water. When Neo reawakens, Morpheus tells him that his entire world, his entire existence was fabricated, that he had been subjugated by an illusory reality designed to keep him compliant. The real world turns out to be a nightmare and the nightmare a reality. In the real world, the machines have long ago developed artificial intelligence, and taken over the surface of the planet as they use human beings as their energy source. The Matrix, as it turns out, is nothing more than an elaborate set of programs meant to deceive human beings so that the machines may parasitically feed off their semi-conscious bodies. Neo's life has been an empty dream world... but there is hope.
   Morpheus has been leading a band of freedom fighters who live in the real world and hack into the Matrix through a pirate signal, to free humanity from the clutches of the machines. Morpheus tells Neo of a techno-mystical prophecy that one day a man will be born who will liberate humankind and end the war between the living and the mechanical. Morpheus trains Neo to become their champion in a virtual reality simulator, where Neo learns martial arts. He is also taught how to adapt his mind so that when he next enters the Matrix, he will be able to fortify himself for protection as well as bypass the laws of physics (mainly gravity). But they also face great obstacles, both in and out of the Matrix. In the real world they must deal with Sentinels, robots that are squid like in appearance and armed with a deadly arsenal. Within the Matrix, there's the threat of the Agents who eliminate any dissenters. Of these Agents, Agent Smith is the most dangerous for his programming was flawed. He is capable of experiencing human emotions such as ambition, pride, and a general contempt for all organic living things. Soon Neo, Morpheus, and Trinity have begun a revolution from which there can be no turning back. They will either end the tyranny of the machines or be crushed in the attempt.
   
   The concept that our perceived reality is a mere illusion is by no means revolutionary. Since ancient times, philosophers and scientists have suggested the possibility of alternate realities which are only accessible through the mind. What makes The Matrix so fascinating is that it combined this metaphysical idea with modern technology, contemporary politics, social counterculture, and martial arts action. The film also has an underlying spirituality and frequently makes references to world religions and mythologies. The iconic characters are played to perfection by a talented cast including Keanu Reeves as Neo, Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, Joe Pantoliano as Cypher, and Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith. Though it was released in 1999, The Matrix has often been cited as the film that ushered in the new millennium. It is a high energy, thought provoking modern masterpiece.
   
   Also recommended:
   Philip K. Dick: Five Novels of the 1960s & 70s
   The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film
   Metropolis
   2001: A Space Odyssey
   Star Wars Trilogy
   Blade Runner
   The Terminator
   Brazil
   Dark City
   The Matrix: Music From The Motion Picture

No comments about Billy Idol's Cyberpunk - Shock to the System.

5 comments about Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future.

1. This movie (and the TV series it generated) was a classic of Sci-Fi, and would still look current (as I remember it). The themes are still relevant.



2. Get the DVD of Max Headroom out as soon as possible please!! Thank you.



3. This is one of my favorite shows. Maybe it hit too close to home for the government or the networks or whoever felt threatened by it, but so much of it was predicting the kind of future we are seeing unfold now. From the massive rise in the use of credit vs. cash, to the incredible lack of privacy and threat of identity theft, this show present us with the reality of a Big Brother society. They were also on the money in terms of the divide between the rich and poor. The middle class is disappearring swiftly and as so many of us end up in poverty, there is nothing fictitious about the "Haves" and "Have nots".
   
   Frankly, I could have totally done without Max Headroom himself. I was never impressed with him. I watched this show for the real people. I watched it for the plots.
   
   I do wish they would put it out on DVD. I have most of the shows on VHS tapes I recorded off ABC back in the late 1980s. I hope they haven't disintegrated by now!
   
   I'm surprised the Sci-fi channel never picked the show up. It was a gem lost in a bowl of glass stones.



4. Ok, so I guess we have to accept the fact that big pharma, Rupert Murdoch and the rest of the fascist cabal will never let this show go to DVD. The reason is obvious: it hits waaaaay too close to home.
   
   Someone will just have to step up and bootleg it for us. Consider it to be an extreme act of selfish sacrifice for the betterment of humanity; something akin to Tom Paine's 'Common Sense' or Martin Luther's '99 Theses'.
   
   Somewhere, there is a person with access to the original prints who is willing to risk it all to spirit away the best assault on the arrogance of power since Jonathan Swift and Lewis Carroll took on the Royals.
   
   Don't let us down. We are counting on you.



5. I loved this show. I remember a group of us actually called ABC to try to convince them not to cancel it. Alas. Please give us the DVDs - I will definitely buy them. And as I recall, there were several episodes that were never aired. Dig them out of the vaults too, OK? Please?

3 comments about Cyberpunk.

1. In this very good non fictional movie , the famous writer William Gibson talks all about cyberpunk,a literary genre that is something like dark science fiction .In this movie Gibson also explains thinks like "cyberspace" and "virtual reality" . The movie is well done and good for all people who want to know more about tecnology and how will be the live and the internet in the future .



2. This documentary takes us all the way back to 1990, when the information highway was being blazed by cyberpunks, defined herein as "computer cowboys hacking a perilous post-human lifestyle on new technological frontiers." The front man for the movement is William Gibson, the award-winning author of the science-fiction novel "Neuromancer," who coined the term "cyberspace" despite the handicap of being a confessed computer illiterate. Instead of being characterized as irresponsible techno-vandals, the cyberpunks see themselves as using cutting-edge technology to "decentralize democracy." It is interesting to look back at "Cyberpunk" from the vantage point of today and judge how well they have advanced McLuhan's Global Village via the Internet. You will find equal measures of wistful naivete and accurate prediction in viewing this documentary.



3. beginners intro, nothing really stands out except for william gibson talking, and then it is the three or four quotes from neuromancer that make this video stand out. the best part is the uber leet box with gibson on the back in the stupidest glasses.

5 comments about Blade Runner (Limited Edition Collector's Set).

1. Blade Runner, in either the original theatrical release OR the director's cut, is one of the best SciFi movies ever made. And yes, the quality of the DVD is DREADFUL. BUT, INHD is showing an incredible print of the director's cut in Hi Def with a real 5.1 surround soundtrack this month. If you have an HD Recorder, here's where it earns its keep! Until the definitive version comes out on DVD, if that ever happens, grab it in Hi Def off the air.



2. I saw the original theatrical release of Blade Runner and was dismayed years later to learn that the director's cut omits Harrison Fords narrative. Why was the narrative removed? I don't get it.... I want to buy a new, high quality DVD based on the original Blade Runner release where Harrison Ford narrates.... To me, the movie just isn't the same without the narrative sound track.



3. I've had this set since it came out, and in anticipation of a newer release, I'm writing in about it.
   This set is one of my more valued dvds. I absolutely adore Blade Runner, and this set had everything to go along for the ride.
   If your a collector and Blade Runner is in at least your top 30-50, buy this!
   i understand it's out of print, but it's worth the extra.



4. The Ridley Scott true blade runner release is suppose to be released sometime this year. It's the only blade runner version to date that has everything in it that was deleted because of different legal issues. Wait for it in coming months.



5. VERY DISPOINTING SET HAS THE SAME DVD AVAILABLE ALL READY WITH JUST ONE VERISON, THERE WAS VHS VERSION THAT HAD THE NARRATION AND MORE GRAPHIC SCENES THAT WERE DELETED IN THE THEATRICAL VERSION FOR BEING TO GRAPHIC WHY CANT WE GET THIS VERSION ON DVD WHATS UP!

5 comments about Patlabor 1 - Mobile Police.

1. this is a smart mecha tronic movie
   i like azuma shinohara and noah izumi
   this is a brilliant movie,even though i did not see the series
   they say the 'd' word a few times but this movie is so cool!



2. I need to start by saying I have not watched anything but the Patlabor Movies so I have no clue what the series is all about. I also need to say that I bought this film on the heels of watching Macross Plus, my favorite anime EVER, and was expecting an action mech film. Boy was I suprised.
   
   The first time I watched this, I literally fast forwarded through most of it to get the the action. Imagine my dismay when I got there and there seemed to be NONE! I threw down the movie in disgust and left.
   
   Weeks later my friend who got me into Anime saw it and asked to watch it. I told him I thought it was crap but why not. This time...I actually watched the movie and I was blown away with its deep story, amazing imagination and palpable theme of discovery and mystery. For plot line and story, look at the other reviews, I'm just here to give opinion.
   
   Patlabor uses Labors, or mecha, not as show stealing engines of destruction but as obvious evolutions of police enforcement. As such, there is no flashy gundam style energy exchange or more deliberate destruction of the mechwarrior fame. But what you do get is a deep plot of industrial espionage, mysterious dissapearences and a suprisingly realistic look at what future law enforcement would actually look like, detective work too.
   
   In the end, I realized that all anime need not be about amazing action. Patlabor has a pretty good action scene towards the end but that is not why I suggest this movie. I say watch this because it shows what anime can also bring to our DVD players. A well written, well studied movie that would probably crash at the box office because everyone expects it to shoot stuff.



3. I have a small collection of anime which is growing exponentially now, thanks in part to my renewed interest in the genre after viewing this film. What seperates this from many anime is it unique use of the Mecha of "Labors" in its plot, instead of just the same robot battle fair that we've all seen. The movie does not centure around action but around the actual story and the characters as they work together (and sometimes against each other) to solve the big mystery in time to stop the terrible threat to Tokyo and possibly the entire world.



4. This is the way "Patlabor 1" _should_ have been treated in an English-language release. This film is the foundation of Mamoru Oshii's signature style, which would be perfected in "Patlabor 2" and then reach international attention with the later "Ghost in the Shell" and "Innocence" features.
   
   The new translation of the dialogue offers far more detail than the old version from the late '90s by Manga Entertainment, Bandai Visual USA seems to have really wanted to make a mark with this first release for the new company, and they achieved this.
   
   The film itself is a classic Oshii blend of philosophy and action, based upon the characters he helped introduce with the "Patlabor: The Original Series" OVA, but turning the focus of the show from the adventures of the Patlabor cast to an introspective look at where Tokyo (and humanity in general) was heading. Many elements were far ahead of their time; today threats of killer computer viruses are common; all of us deal with them in our email accounts, but in 1989 the internet was in its early public infancy, and the idea of someone creating a virus to spread death and destruction was a fantastic concept. The fact that humanity's inventions could so easily be taken from their pure helpful purposes and turned to nefarious ends was a relatively new idea, one which challenged the prevailing viewpoint that humanity would only be helped and assisted by its new technological creations.
   
   This release sets a new standard for how high-profile titles should be released, and I hope that it is a precedent that will be followed commonly. The documentaries on the extra disc were a little underwhelming compared to the standards set by Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" or even the well-conceived and excuted making-of documenatries that came with Pioneer/Geneon's "WXIII: Patlabor 3" special edition release.
   
   But the 184-page Patlabor Archives book is a treasure for those interested in how and why "Patlabor 1" turned out the way it did, detailing much of the history of the film, why it is so different in tone from the Patlabor OVAs and TV series, and the innovative ways that Oshii used to turn the city of Tokyo itself into one of the central characters of the film. I read the entire booklet before watching the new version of the film, and it changed the way I viewed the movie, made me far more conscious of the social commentary that is in fact one of the film's central themes.
   
   The storyboard is another gem for those who are interested in the process of how an idea for a film is translated into a finished work, and even glancing through it made me more conscious of some of the finer details in the film, things which are so subtle that they may escape detection even after multiple viewings, but because they were specifically laid out in the storyboards were deliberately placed to enhance some aspects of the film.
   
   Is this Limted Edition of the film necessary to enjoy the picture? No, it's not. Get the new version of the basic movie if all you're interested in is a great thinking-man's movie with a few heart-pounding action sequences thrown in for variety's sake (it _is_ a mecha anime on the surface, after all). The basic film of this Bandai Visual USA version is far superior to the old Manga Entertainment one; if you already own that, you might consider picking up this one, anyway, because this translation mentions an awful lot of details that were left out of Manga's version. But the Limited Edition's special features will probably only be of interest to the devoted anime and Patlabor fans, for its illumination of how the anime industry and Mamoru Oshii actually work.
   
   The downside of this, for those who have been following Patlabor for a long time, is that this is the fourth complete English-language cast for the Patlabor characters, a result of four different companies having been responsible for releasing this over time (Manga Entertainment doing the original versions of the first two movies, US Manga Corps doing the OVAs and TV Series, and Pioneer/Geneon doing WXIII: Patlabor 3).



5. Pros: The only Patlabor movie worth keeping, more action, Kanuka Klancy makes an appearance, the robots, and the storyline.
   
   Cons: The finale and Shinobu.
   
   Final Verdict: It's worth it, but don't waste your time on the sequels.

1 comments about Max Headroom: The Original Story.

1. What a groundbreaking series and i love this movie , the series that followed is what the future was going to be, we could only imagine in the 80's. it was just great i can't wait until the powers that be release this movie and the series out on DVD Matt Frewer is just awsome as the wisecracking reporter in the future Edison Carter who breaks the stories with help from his friends at the network including max headroom his cyber buddy. the gadgets i just love some of them and few have already come to pass . Anyway Please Release this Movie And Series On DVD Whoever Owns the Rights Please. If you ever do release it, Release It with all the Max Pepsi /Coke Ads Etc. Parrrrty Onnn Ok !

5 comments about Pinocchio 964.

1. Like Tetsuo: The Iron Man this film takes you into a really bizarre, neurotic, and insane world where all of the normal conventions of cinema have been thrown out. In other words, you are either going to love this film or you are going to completely hate it. Personally, I am stuck somewhere in between those two extremes. This is by no means a perfect movie, but I really enjoyed it for what it was... or rather whatever you may wish to call it. The imagery was very abstract and, even though it felt like a Tetsuo rip off at times, there were still some pretty creative ideas within this film. I also liked how the entire film was shot in color instead of black and white. I think that too many of these types of movies rely too heavily on the stark atmosphere of black and white instead of exploring the vivid colors and imagery that can be projected in color. I especially liked seeing the actors freaking out in public. That was quite an amusing site to behold. How modest the Japanese are! I wonder how Americans would react to that. They stared at times, but for the most part they kept to their own individual business. I wonder what other bizarre events they ignore. Overall, if you are expecting a conventional movie with a storyline and a cast of well developed and likable characters, then look elsewhere. If you want to see an LSD trip of a movie, then this is going to be right up your alley, because the images on screen are just very bizarre and abstract. I guess that you could read into this film in any way that you choose. Ultimately, as a piece of art it is left open to interpretation. However, you have to look at the images in order to understand what this film is trying to say. So, with that in mind, this is a film that is told through images, not dialogue.



2. 10 minutes of poor writing stretched to 97 minutes by bad acting with a 90 minute sound track of grunting, screaming, and gagging. Like getting on a bad ride after a bad meal. When it finally stops you still don't feel well and you regret wasting your time and money. I don't know what drug cyberpunks are on to enjoy this but thank you, I'll pass.



3. What a pleasant treat 964 Pinocchio is. I was always curious as to what the Japanese "Cyberpunk" Cinema scene was all about and now I at least have a little bit of an idea...maybe?
   
   As an average person or moviegoer - what are you going to get out of 964 Pinnochio? You're going to get A LOT of people running around and the way it's portrayed makes you feel as if you're high on PCP. You're going to get incredibly uncomfortable moans, groans, and screams, CONSTANTLY, and some brutally gooey scenes of violence. Oh yeah, and "NO PLOT!"
   
   Basically, this movie is not for everyone. Definitely not. But for anyone who can see a film as a piece of art, put this in high regards! It is definitely a masterpiece of it's kind and culture! I, for one, have never seen anything like it. The speed-fused style of cinematography and editing will have anyone who can actually SIT through the whole movie feeling antsy and a bit dreadful! But you need to look at things the right way, any movie that can work it's way into your psyche like that and become a CHALLENGE to watch, is a GOOD THING! Some of the scenes with the wandering around camera reminded me of the sort of queasy feeling that the 2002 masterpiece IRREVERSIBLE provides.
   
   I'm not going to say much else, other than that you need to expect an extremely abstract ride full of horrifying imagery, dreadful atmosphere, and ultra-violence...all at hyperspeed! I especially enjoyed the finale! 964 Pinocchio is certainly a masterpiece of it's own kind!



4. The Good Things
   *Very vivid photography and style. Lots of interesting camera angles.
   *Unlike "Rubber's Lover", this one is in color.
   *Pretty good production design.
   *Pretty good story (although some parts don't really make sense).
   *Good acting (even if it is really over-the-top).
   *Good music.
   
   The Bad Things
   *After the first thirty minutes, everybody goes crazy for some unknown reason. One or two parts make you ask aloud, "What the heck is going on now?"
   *Not for the sqeamish; contains some blood and some gnarly make-up effects (and one parts makes you wonder "Just how much can a person puke?!"). Also some sex and nudity and extreme dementedness.
   
   The Questionable Things
   *Some parts are filmed with erratic shaking. Can be seen as stylish or annoying.
   
   The first half-hour of this movie was quite good and sensible, until everybody went nuts. Still, it has a very intense and immersive style that sucks you in even when nothing makes logical sense. It's definately weird and gross, but quite well-made, and perhaps even artistic.
   
   The DVD is in fullscreen, and has good video and sound quality. Extras include a short film, an interview, a photo gallery, and one or two trailers.



5. 964 Pinocchio is an acquired taste. If you like movies that are wierd just to be wierd, you might like this. It really has no narrative structure and is nothing more than a series of disjointed scenes strung together for ninty minutes. The plot concerns an underground manufacturer of sex androids, one is let out and is befriended by a street person. After the first ten minutes, all real structure is thrown out and it turns into an arty student film with massive jump cutting, grotesque imagery, etc. I admit, it held my interest just to see what strange things would happen next, but overall, I wasted my time. I bought it, you should rent it-you will only need to see it once, if at all.

2 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 03 (Special Edition).

1. This volume gets right to the heart of the plot, and raises important questions. Who really is Gohda? Where is the next refugee threat coming from? Who tried to kill the Prime Minster, and what roll does he play in the Individual Eleven? Is there a terrorist virus causing another stand alone complex? Can Togusa finds his way clear of criminal charges? Also, we all know The Major, but what of her past?
   
   This DVD set includes the following:
   
   2 Discs:
   Disc 1 - 4 episodes in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (English and Japanese)
   Disc 2 - 4 episodes in DTS (English and Japanese)
   
   Episodes:
   1. Ambivalence
   2. Trial
   3. Affection
   4. Selecon
   
   Extras: 2 figures: Major, Tachikoma
   
   CORRECTION: Ghost in the Shell: O.S.T. 3 was NOT released with this volume, but will come at a later date.
   
   Upcoming Releases:
   Ghost in the Shell: SAC Official Log 2 - scheduled release date 1/26/06
   Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2nd GIG Vol. 4 - scheduled release date 3/21/06
   
   NOTE - If you see any anime items for sale that seem to cheap, they are BOOTLEGS. DO NOT BUY!



2. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 03 (Special Edition).

1. This set contains episodes nine through twelve of the first series/season from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. This third volume is probably the low point in the series; not necessarily bad, but not particularly exciting or interesting - at least at first. Two involve plots with the Laughing Man, one very obvious, the other not so much until the end. Another plot thread involving the AI tanks, the Tachikomas, also comes to the fore and really makes it mark later in the series.
   
   Here is an episode summary (in order, with some spoilers if you hadn't seen the previous episode):
   
   CHAT! CHAT! CHAT!: Admittedly it would be extremely hard to make twenty minutes of animation mostly involving a virtual chat room exciting or even interesting. After the events of the previous episodes involving Section 9's investigation into the Laughing Man, the Major decides to consult with others interested in the legendary hacker figure. Appearing in a virtual chat room at Virtual City Alpha (in a different form), Kusanagi participates in a varied debate over the origins of the Laughing Man, his supposed return, the change in behavior (the assassination announcement), and the phenomenon of the stand alone complex. While the background of the original appearance of the Laughing Man is fleshed out and some questions from the previous episodes are answered, not a lot really happens here and it's just that - a lot of talk.
   
   JUNGLE CRUISE: A serial killer appears in Japan, gruesomely skinning his victims alive in a T-shirt style pattern. Unfortunately for Batou, the pattern is very familiar, bringing up a lot of memories he'd probably rather forget. Even more unfortunately for Batou, two CIA agents show up and really don't help matters any. It is interesting to note that, in a flashback sequence, Batou appears as he did in the original manga (with short, cropped hair). Not a bad episode all around - the CIA agents show up rather unexpectedly in the second season.
   
   PORTRAITZ: Togusa gets assigned an undercover job at an institution for sufferers of closed cyberbrain syndrome - mostly kids but a few adults as well. There are some strange things happening. Parts of the episode can be confusing and may require a second viewing (but you bought it on DVD so you're in luck). Pay close attention the various literary passages, they work on a number of levels. Parts of this episode closely resemble the first issue of the manga.
   
   ESCAPE FROM: The episode title represents two halves of stories involving escapism. The first half involves a Tachikoma who inadvertently activates in the middle of the night and, child-like curiosity taking the best of it, decides to go out on a jaunt. In the second half, the Tachikoma evidently returned to Section 9 where it is underdoing a strict examination. In its misadventures, the Tachikoma managed to shoplift a junk cyberbrain that seemingly traps anyone that dives into it - in a movie theater. Another episode that seemingly doesn't go anywhere, though the oddness of the Tachikomas becomes a new plot twist.
   
   Obviously this isn't the best selection of episodes, and unfortunately in a complete series a limited number of episodes (in order) sometimes isn't the best way to get a sampling of the show. This is one of those circumstances and is the only reason why I'm giving this particular volume three stars. The animation remains excellent though somewhat varied (PORTRAITZ is definitely the best in this volume), and the sound is superb. This volume comes with interviews with the voice talent behind Batou (Akio Otsuka) and the series sound director (Kazuhiro Wakabayashi).
   
   The deluxe version comes with the original release, a second DVD with a DTS 5.1 sound version of the show, and a T-shirt featuring the art from the volume cover (Motoko's online persona, though the art resembles the manga more than the anime).



2. I was hesitant to start collecting Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex because I had watched the first 8 episodes and was not totally convinced to buy it. Well, I collapsed and gave in after seeing the episodes on this disc. The show never ceases to amaze me at how intelligent it is and in the writing. This is quite possibly the best series of anything, ever. And this disc proves it.



3. 
   I'll admit to you that I love to watch Adult Swim, and I'll also admit that I like certain types of anime. No, I'm not one of those nerdy card-trading Poke'mon lovers, I'm a young adult who likes to use my imagination in my down time. I like anime that's made for adults like: Big O!, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Outlaw Star, Tenchi and Ghost in the shell.
   
   I was watching either watching Family Guy or Aqua Teen Hunger Force when I saw previews for this show start to air on Adult Swim, I thought thought it looked cool, it featured what looked to me like a cool futuristic take on robots and the humans that are seamlessly integrated with cybornetics to make them almost immortal, But I didn't know the half of it.
   
   What I got was a cyber-punk version of the old black-and-white film noir mysteries. The series receives its subtitle from a theoretical mental complex attributed to the adaptation of cybernetics into the mass public. In the story, 'stand alone complex' is said to describe copies with no original and is portrayed by copycat crimes with no original criminal, or in other words, an imaginary criminal. It also refers to the structure of each episode: Each episode can be viewed independently of each other, and there is little catch-up (if at all) given in each episode to keep the viewer up to date.
   
   Taking place in a fictional city of Japan called "Niihama-shi" (New Port City) in the year 2030, Stand Alone Complex tells the story of a special operations task-force called Public Security Section 9, or simply "Section 9". The series follows the exploits of Section 9's agents who range from ex-military to ex-police as they address each case and how it affects them on a personal level, eventually leading to the mysterious figure dubbed by the media as "The Laughing Man".
   
   Public Security Section 9 is an elite domestic anti-crime unit tasked with the charge of preemptive prevention of technology-related acts of terrorism and crime. Their duties include response to serious cyber crimes (i.e. Cyberbrain hacking, cyber-terrorism), investigation of unlawful acts of those in public office and of high profile murder cases. From time-to-time they also serve as protection to foreign VIPs.
   
   If you have seen the movie then you know that the TV series differs from the cinema adaptation in its focus upon issues created by the advance of technology. Instead of the intensely focused and personal examination of technology, presented is a look at society and technology as a larger whole. The series of 26 half-hour TV episodes has a larger budget of time to explore the concepts and ideas found in the original manga. In comparison to the film version, the series is considered by many to be easier to understand. Also, in comparison, the series can be found to be closer to the manga; due to the presence of some humor, the usage of the Tachikomas (Fuchikomas in the manga, and referred to simply as "tanks" in the one scene a derivant version makes an appearance in), the design of the characters, and also, the usage of the characters Paz, Bouma and Saito. Stand Alone Complex exhibits the accumulated experience and expertise of Production I.G. in their application of computer generated imagery. This is evident in their digital color grading, environmental effects, and cell-shaded computer models. Their work has been highly praised for its subtle contribution to a scene, which adds greatly to the atmosphere.
   
   I think a lot of people will try to compare this to Cowboy Bebop as with so many other anime and mangas, but that's foolish. Stand Alone Complex is no better or worse than Cowboy Bebop, it's just a different story, different style, different sets of charactors and there places.
   
   if you like anime or manga you'll definitely like this show. It's complex, has views on modern terrorism and how to deal with it, and not to mention the technology! Even if you don't watch anime just give a chance and take it for what it is.



4. 
   I would rate the show as 5 stars, this is a review of the extras and features of the Special Edition issue.
   I recently bought all the Special Edition releases of "Stand Alone Complex" after trying to research what I was going to get as extras not included in the regular edition. I found the listings on Amazon's product details to be a little confusing and incomplete on some of the volumes so I decided to write this guide for others trying to decide. I'm not going to review the "Ghost in the Shell" episodes or the series in general because there are so many excellent reviews already on this site, and most of you probably know about this great anime TV series already. There are various other reviews that say that some of the DVD's and CD's have errors on them and Bandai will replace them with corrected discs if you send them in for exchange. I have not ran into problems yet, although I haven't gone through the whole series either. And I will also state that I love the TV series as well as both movies, but I would recommend the Imported Region 2 version of GITS2:Innocence if you have a region free DVD player. Dreamworks really messed up that release omiting the English dub and putting Hard of Hearing subtitles instead of regular ones on the early issues of that movie. Most people find them very distracting and annoying.
   
   First off the discs themselves, you get two DVD discs in each volume with the same episodes on both discs. Volumes 1-5 have 4 episodes each, 6 and 7 have 3 episodes each making 26 episodes total in the series. Both discs are Anamorphic wide screen encoded directly from the High-Definition Masters. Both Discs also have English subtitles. Each set also has two interviews with voice cast or someone associated with the production of the anime, and a printed DVD insert pamphlet or booklet with different interviews and such for each volume. All discs are Region 1.
   
   Disc one has Dolby Digital 5.1 in Japanese and English, and Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and Japanese.
   
   Disc two has DTS 5.1 in English and Japanese and a Dolby Digital 2.0 English track.
   
   Volumes 1 and 2 include soundtrack CD's of the music of Yoko Kanno, the most excellent and versatile composer of the music in the TV series. Anime lovers know her work from the many fine soundtracks that she's done for countless other anime movies and TV series.
   
   Volume 3 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Major Kusanagi graphic on the back. Nice shirt!
   
   Volumes 4 and 5 have a collectable I.D. cards for a section 9 member.
   
   Volume 6 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Batou graphic on the back, and another I.D. card. Nice shirt again!
   
   Volume 7 has another Tee-Shirt! This time it's a White XL with the section 9 logo on the front, and the Laughing Man logo on the back! Once again nice shirt! It also comes with a tin box that's supposed to hold all 7 volumes of the DVD set. I was excited about getting the box but when it arrived I was disappointed with the design. It's kind of like the rectangular lunch box that you used to take to school as a kid, without the handle and latch. Its also of a thinner metal that dents easily. It has marketing type of printing on the backside that pertains to vol. 7 only, and the DVD cases stack inside one on top of the other. The spines of the cases are not visible when you open the box, only the front of the last case you put in. So you have to take all the cases out of the tin to get to a specific volume. There's also not room for the cardboard sleves that the DVD's were in when you got the individual volumes, and no room for the soundtrack CD's either. All said, I was disappointed with the box. Because of it's odd dimensions it doesn't stack in well with my DVD library. I would have much preferred the normal five sided box that usually comes with DVD sets.
   
   Overall I'd say it's worth it to buy volumes 3, 6 and 7 new to get the shirts if they interest you and pick up the others used if you can to save some money on the series. That is if you're interested in the DTS soundtrack options. I much prefer the DTS mixes to Dolby Digital and wanted the soundtrack CD's as well. Also the cardboard boxes that come with volumes 3 and 6 are better than the tin box to store your set in when you complete the series, if you stack them on shelves one row of DVD's on top of another row, and you can fit the movies into those boxes as well to fill them the rest of the way.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!